Pipeline for the Advancement of the Healthcare Workforce (PATH)

For the 2025-2026 academic year, the Pipeline for the Advancement of the Healthcare Workforce (PATH) grant is providing limited financial support to a selected number of Health Careers programs.

The Health Careers programs eligible for financial support in Summer 2026 are listed below. Starting March 23, 2026, the students enrolled in these programs will be contacted by email by the PATH team to complete the PATH application and discuss their needs and the available PATH support.

• Basic Nurse Assistant Training
• Emergency Medical Technician (Basic)
• Medical Assistant
• Perioperative Nursing
• Pharmacy Technician
• Phlebotomy
• LPN Option

Who PATH Supports

The Illinois Community College Board awarded Oakton with the Pipeline for the Advancement of the Healthcare Workforce grant (PATH) to expand opportunities for students to enter and/or advance their careers in the healthcare industry.

The project focuses on three populations: 

• Incumbent workers who are already in the workforce and looking to continue their education and advance their careers in the nursing or healthcare pathway in Illinois.
• New, entering students on a nursing or healthcare pathway with an identified need for support.
• Low-income, first-generation, and minority students as a subset of both of the aforementioned target population categories.